Jones Medical Supply 'changes the game’

TROY, Ala. – A year after inking name, image and license (NIL) deals with local college athletes, Jones Medical Supply has upped its game by partnering with a local sleep center to offer sleep studies to the offensive linemen of the Troy Trojans. 

“The offensive lineman are often big, overweight guys – there’s no other way to put it,” said Jason Jones, president of Jones Medical, which has locations in Troy and Greenville, Ala. “They have a large neck and that typically means OSA, along with all the other metrics. They just fit that mold.” 

Players who participate will receive a home sleep test from the Troy Regional Sleep Disorders Center to determine if they have OSA. The sleep center will also track their performance both on and off the field and share the results.  

Thanks to the NIL deal and the new partnership, players can go through the process without having to pay deductibles and co-pays, and if they qualify for a CPAP machine, Jones Medical Supply will provide it at no charge. 

“We’re using their name, image and likeness to promote our brand,” he said.  

Having a real person, in this case a Division 1 athlete from a championship team, featured in Jones Medical Supply's social media posts every week really resonates with people, Jones says. 

“When somebody like that says, ‘I’ve got sleep apnea,’ that really changes the game,” he said. “The Average Joe football fan says, ‘If this football player has sleep apnea, maybe I do, too.’” 

For Jones, the NIL deal and the new partnership have benefited Jones Medical Supply, but they’ve also deepened the company’s relationship with the community, the university and the players. 

“The really surprising part is the relationship we’ve able to build with these student athletes,” he said. “They are great guys off the field. It’s been fun, and a year later, I wouldn’t change it for anything.”